Weapons test postponement to Wednesday has locals frustrated

Published: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 at 05:46 PM.

That’s what Eglin Air Force Base officials are hoping for the major weapons test scheduled Wednesday morning, which requires the evacuation of Duke Filed and several major roads to be closed.

The test has been rescheduled three times because of last-minute aircraft problems. After the third cancellation Tuesday, some residents expressed frustration that they had changed their plans for no reason — again.

“It is getting to the point where it is just annoying,” said Matthew Young, 33, a financier from Crestview who works in Fort Walton Beach and had rescheduled client meetings again Wednesday because of the test plans. “It’s very disheartening to know I have to postpone clients again.”

State Roads 85, 285 and 123 were to be closed and Duke Field was to be evacuated at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. The closings and evacuations are rescheduled for Wednesday at the same time.

The test originally was scheduled Feb. 14 and then Feb. 15. Both were called off because of problems with a C-130 aircraft involved in the test, according to Eglin Air Force Base public affairs.

The office did not release the type of aircraft that caused Tuesday’s postponement.

Many residents have made alternate plans.

Last month, Trish Gartner of Milligan had to go to work at Publix in Destin two hours earlier than her scheduled time to avoid the potential closures.

“The first time, it disappointed me after I had gone through such a big plan to get to my job on time,” said the 59-year-old Gartner. “The next day I thought, ‘This is getting ridiculous.’ Now I just laugh.”

She is off work Wednesday, but plans to leave two hours early for a long-standing doctor’s appointment in Valparaiso.

Cathy Riley, 44, said her husband on Tuesday had to travel through Destin and then west along the congested U.S. Highway 98 to get to his work in Pensacola instead of taking the quicker Interstate 10 from their home in Niceville.

“If they have to do something, we understand, but it was just going that extra route when he didn’t have to (that) was kind of inconvenient,” Riley said. “He was afraid he wasn’t going to make it on time, and now he’ll have to do the same thing again.”

The 78th Test Squadron, which is conducting the long-range weapons test, reported last week that it had taken additional actions to minimize the chance of another cancela-tion because of aircraft issues.

Often during testing only one aircraft or weapon is modified to conduct the test, according to Eglin public affairs.

Public affairs will release any information about test cancellations as soon as possible.

“We know cancellation of an announced road closure impacts the community,” said Lois Walsh, a spokeswoman for Eglin. “Base officials seek to inform the public with timely and accurate information to minimize the impact.”

That’s what Eglin Air Force Base officials are hoping for the major weapons test scheduled Wednesday morning, which requires the evacuation of Duke Filed and several major roads to be closed.

The test has been rescheduled three times because of last-minute aircraft problems. After the third cancellation Tuesday, some residents expressed frustration that they had changed their plans for no reason — again.

“It is getting to the point where it is just annoying,” said Matthew Young, 33, a financier from Crestview who works in Fort Walton Beach and had rescheduled client meetings again Wednesday because of the test plans. “It’s very disheartening to know I have to postpone clients again.”

State Roads 85, 285 and 123 were to be closed and Duke Field was to be evacuated at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. The closings and evacuations are rescheduled for Wednesday at the same time.

The test originally was scheduled Feb. 14 and then Feb. 15. Both were called off because of problems with a C-130 aircraft involved in the test, according to Eglin Air Force Base public affairs.

The office did not release the type of aircraft that caused Tuesday’s postponement.

Many residents have made alternate plans.

Last month, Trish Gartner of Milligan had to go to work at Publix in Destin two hours earlier than her scheduled time to avoid the potential closures.

“The first time, it disappointed me after I had gone through such a big plan to get to my job on time,” said the 59-year-old Gartner. “The next day I thought, ‘This is getting ridiculous.’ Now I just laugh.”

She is off work Wednesday, but plans to leave two hours early for a long-standing doctor’s appointment in Valparaiso.

Cathy Riley, 44, said her husband on Tuesday had to travel through Destin and then west along the congested U.S. Highway 98 to get to his work in Pensacola instead of taking the quicker Interstate 10 from their home in Niceville.

“If they have to do something, we understand, but it was just going that extra route when he didn’t have to (that) was kind of inconvenient,” Riley said. “He was afraid he wasn’t going to make it on time, and now he’ll have to do the same thing again.”

The 78th Test Squadron, which is conducting the long-range weapons test, reported last week that it had taken additional actions to minimize the chance of another cancela-tion because of aircraft issues.

Often during testing only one aircraft or weapon is modified to conduct the test, according to Eglin public affairs.

Public affairs will release any information about test cancellations as soon as possible.

“We know cancellation of an announced road closure impacts the community,” said Lois Walsh, a spokeswoman for Eglin. “Base officials seek to inform the public with timely and accurate information to minimize the impact.”